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Today, a brief rundown of news involving Eli Lilly and Valneva, as well as updates from CRISPR Therapeutics, Vivo Capital and Charles River Laboratories that you may have missed.
Eli Lilly and Purdue University on Friday said they are expanding a long-standing alliance seeking to speed drug discovery and development and improve manufacturing. Lilly will spend up to $250 million over the next eight years and extend the end date of the collaboration from 2027 to 2032 in what Lilly said “has the potential to be the largest ever industry-academic agreement of its kind in the United States.” Purdue will make space available to Lilly researchers on its campus, and university researchers will collaborate with the pharma giant in its Indianapolis sites as well as Indiana's LEAP Research and Innovation District. — Jonathan Gardner
The European Medicines Agency has temporarily suspended use of Valneva’s chikungunya vaccine Ixchiq in people aged 65 and older following reports of 17 severe adverse effects, including two deaths, in people aged 62 to 89 with underlying medical conditions, co-medications or both, the agency said Wednesday. The agency has maintained its recommendation for use in people aged 12 to 65. EMA is reviewing the data to determine whether to change its recommendations for Ixchiq’s use. EMA also urged physicians to avoid using Ixchiq, a live, attenuated virus vaccine, in people with weakened immune systems. So far, 43,000 people have received the vaccine. — Jonathan Gardner
An experimental "in vivo" gene editing treatment from CRISPR Therapeutics significantly lowered levels of certain fats in the bloodstream in an early-stage clinical trial, the company said. CRISPR's therapy targets ANGPTL3, a gene that codes for a protein regulating low-density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels. Results from the first 10 patients with at least 30 days of follow-up show that a single dose led to reductions in triglyceride and LDL of as much as 82% and 81%, respectively, from the study’s start, without any treatment-related severe adverse events. CRISPR will present detailed data at a medical meeting later this year. The trial is testing its therapy in four different patient groups with high LDL, triglycerides, or both. — Ben Fidler
Vivo Capital has raised more than $740 million for its third evergreen public fund, the firm said Wednesday. Vivo Opportunity Fund invests in publicly traded, preclinical or clinical-stage drug companies and has a three-year investment cycle. The fund focuses on small- and mid-cap companies and invests ahead of milestones that can up their value. It’s has previously invested in companies that have later been acquired or brought drugs to market, among them Soleno Therapeutics, RayzeBio and Verona Pharmaceuticals. — Ben Fidler
Charles River Laboratories' board of directors will conduct a "strategic review" of the contract development and manufacturing group and assess "various alternatives" for boosting shareholder value. Alongside the review, Charles River's board has also agreed to appoint four new directors and cooperate with activist investor Elliot Investment Management, which is now the company's largest stockholder. Shares jumped on the news Wednesday, recovering all of the value they had lost after the Food and Drug Administration announced plans to phase out animal testing requirements, which could affect Charles River's business. — Ned Pagliarulo